Girl meets boy.

“You know, I’ve never slept more than four hours in a night, not since I was a kid.”

“You’re kidding. But why are your eyes so pretty? Shouldn’t they be puffed-up and blue black like you’ve just been in a punch up?”

“I’ll punch you in a minute. I don’t know. My eyes hurt a lot. Like there’s matches and fluff and not enough tears in there.”

“Why can’t you sleep?”

“I’m not sure. Just never have. I never feel totally energized. Sure I smile and all those things, but I always feel a little faded. Like there is a nice, warm bed in the back of my head, and it’s pulling me away from conversations towards it. That’s why I’m so shy.”

“I wouldn’t describe you as shy.”

“I am, inside. Just, everyone has all this energy around me, extroverts like you. And it’s like their loudness and jokes and need for people pushes me into a little cold heap, and that’s when I dream of books and bed and want to go home where I won’t be judged. You ever feel that way?”

“Sure. You slept fine as a kid?”

“Yeh, up until I was around fourteen. I’m not sure why. Now I face bedtime with relief and dread, equal parts. I’m happy for the silence, scared for the next eight hours spent tossing around in the dark. The thing is, I slept well last night.”